


The Prettiest of Boys Deserves All the Flowers

by thequeenwhowaited



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Relationships, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Deaf Steve Rogers, F/M, Gift Giving, Insecure Bucky Barnes, Kid Fic, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Pining, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Punk Steve Rogers, Secret Admirer, War Veteran Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 09:57:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19867717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequeenwhowaited/pseuds/thequeenwhowaited
Summary: Bucky is doing his best. And that best includes putting his head down, sticking his nose into his textbooks, and studying his ass off so he can pass this 8:30 class.It didn’t account for crushes.... Especially not on skinny punk guys with wicked smiles that take control of a conversation like no one’s business.But that’s a problem for another day, first, he has to deal with the mountain of flowers that arrived on his doorstep with no name attached. Weird.





	The Prettiest of Boys Deserves All the Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> I had this fic sitting in my Docs since March for Bucky’s Birthday... it took forever and I couldn’t figure out the ending for a long time. Then I saw Endgame and wanted nothing to do with Stucky. I still love this little one-shot fic tho.

Bucky doesn’t get this. 

He knows what flowers are… don’t be rude. 

But he doesn’t get why it’s his name on the over-the-Top eight dozen??? Maybe more???? red and pink and yellow rose bouquets in the lobby. 

It’s his name in a neat print on the card… James B. Barnes and a heart. A heart that was kinda smudged from the ink still being wet. 

Amazing. 

He held the card like it was a lifeline or if he let go, it would suddenly disappear into thin air. 

Bucky flipped the card over hoping to see the name of the sender but the empty space just stared back at him… 

So all of these roses are for him apparently and no apparent sender….. Wild. 

He’s used to his sisters getting flowers from their admirers… the occasional oversized teddy bear maybe… but this was ridiculous and the delivery guy kept bringing in more the longer he stood there. 

“Hello, Sir? Are you- James?” 

The kid looked like one of those eager to please types in Bucky’s 8:30 am lectures… The ones that wrote in eight different colors and raised their hand for everything. 

The half-fraying patch on his shirt said Peter. 

“Bucky.” He responded automatically, not used to his birth name being said aloud. 

Peter frowned a little, “These flowers are for a… James B. Barnes in apartment number 503 though?” 

He squinted to reread the paperwork and pointed to a certain name… holding it out for Bucky to see. 

Bucky narrowed his eyes at his name yet again printed on the form. Holding the paper tightly like the longer he looked at it, the longer it might start making sense. 

“Umm… sir?” The kid spoke up again. 

Bucky waved his hand in agreement and juggled the clipboard so it would stay under his chin while he pulled out his wallet chain with his right hand, showing the kid his ID to confirm his identity, and pulling out two neatly folded tens to give to the kid for his struggle of getting all these flowers in. 

It was going to be a prosthetic on type of day. Great. 

It wasn’t like he minded the thing… the shiny chrome metal making it lightweight and futuristic. Total babe magnet if he was looking for any babes…. But he just didn’t want to go through the exercises of slowly waking up his nerves and sensors to react to it properly. 

It was easier to just use one arm instead. 

But this was definitely a two arm situation. 

Peter beamed, “Okay, Mr. Barnes, Sir. Can you sign this line right here saying that you received the flowers, please?” 

He placed the clipboard on his knee and signed as best as he could. 

“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to know who sent them, would ya?” Bucky pulled out the card with his name on it and showed Peter’s the blank side. 

Peter scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “I couldn’t say, Sir. I just handle the deliveries.” 

Bucky nodded… thinking of how many trips he would need to make to get all these damn flowers back to his apartment. “Thanks kid.” 

Peter nodded and waved. 

Bucky looked at his wrist… it was 7:45. 

He really wasn’t expecting flowers. 

He blew out an exhale and went to work…. He lived on the 5th floor and the elevator was out due to the recent flooding in the building…. The best he could manage like three or four dozen with his one arm and he kicked open the door to his apartment with a flourish. 

Clint jumped a foot in the air at the sound of a door being busted open and started screaming, “IT’S ALL HIS DRUGS OFFICER, I SWEAR.” 

He then realized that it was just Bucky… who huffed out a laugh, “Good to know you got my back man.” 

Clint groaned and scowled and re-adjusted his hearing aid, “I thought you left for class already.” 

Bucky held up the flowers like they could explain everything, firmly attaching his metal arm, that was sitting by the front door in the umbrella stand, into place to make the job even a little easier “And there’s more downstairs. Help?” 

“Who would send your ugly mug flowers?” Clint grumbled in retaliation for the slammed open door, slipping on his slippers and pulling his gray sweatpants higher on his hips. 

Bucky has asked the same question while coming up the stairs… It wasn’t his Ma or his Sisters…. they would have put Bucky on the card. And he didn’t know anyone else who had this much money to spare on flowers. 

He just shrugged in response to Clint’s question and Clint took it in stride. “All I’m saying is that your secret admirer should have better taste than asshole roommates who make you think the FBI finally broke in.” 

“Why would the FBI even want you?”

“You and I know that I’m irresistible.” Clint said. 

“Irresistibly stupid.” Bucky mumbled. 

Clint tapped his hearing aids even though he clearly heard him, “What was that dear? You really got to speak up.” 

“Nothing grandma.” Bucky replied sweetly, pushing past him to get to the lobby first and avoid Clint’s playful shove. 

Clint’s jaw dropped at the amount of flowers in the lobby and Bucky sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. 

“When you said, there’s more… I was expecting maybe two or three more…” Clint said in awe, really taking in the pure amount of roses and the lingering scent in their lobby “Not enough to start your own flower shop.” 

Clint narrowed his eyes at Bucky who adjusted one of the five gallon buckets on his hip and carrying the other in his hand careful not to crush them too much, “You don’t have a secret Sugar Daddy that I don’t know about right?” 

Bucky cackled. 

“I’m serious, Barnes.” Clint said, grabbing as many as he could. “I don’t want to come into the apartment one day and hear you and Sugar Daddy going at it on the couch.” 

After about three more trips, it seemed like there was even more flowers. 

“You know.” Clint panted, “I need to have some words with this Lover Boy of yours about practicality,” 

Bucky wiped the sweat off his face and took a glance at his watch… swearing at the time. 

“Go.” Clint waved him off. “I’ll make sure Mr. Gatsby’s gift get upstairs.” 

Bucky groaned at the comparison but held his fist out to Clint’s. “I owe you, man.” 

“You owe me like ten but I get it.” Clint retaliated. “You’re going to be late, Juliet.” 

Bucky just rolled his eyes and placed a dramatic smooch on his cheek. 

“It’s a little early for the undying physical displays of devotion and affection, huh boys?” 

“Nat, this isn’t what it looks like!” Clint cried out in despair at the red head’s sudden appearance while trying his best to rub out Bucky’s kiss. 

Bucky just responded by placing a kiss on her cheek too and walking out, securing the strap on his bag… “I’ll let Clint explain….” 

He could hear their soft bickering as he left waving good-bye. 

Bucky didn’t realize how much he liked his morning routine until he was walking down the street at a faster pace than usual to make-up for the lost time. 

Routine was good… Really Good. The flowers were nice but they left Bucky with a small pool of anxiety. 

Who was the mystery gifter? Did they expect him to give them something in return? How did they know where he lived? 

Too many questions. Not enough answers. 

But he could go to class. So, that’s what he did. 

His 8:30 am lecture was on American History 17A: Late 19th-20th century taught by Dr. Sam Wilson. 

Sam, as he preferred to be called, was a pretty chill and understanding professor…. But his one major rule was never Come Late to Class. 

If he had to wake up to teach that early, than everyone better be here too. And if everyone was there early then they could leave early. Sound Logic in Bucky’s opinion. 

But Sound Logic didn’t always align that great with unexpected and over dramatic romantic gestures. 

Bucky looked at his wrist and swore. He took a couple of breaths and then opened the door as slowly as possible… thanking God that Sam’s back was turned. 

“Mr. Barnes,” Sam called out, still not turning to see him, “Glad to See you could join us this morning.” 

Busted. 

The class started snickering. He wasn’t the first person to ever be late to class but it was always fun to see who got the short end of the stick. 

“Sorry” Bucky said, face aflame. 

“Take your seat.” Sam wasn’t too mean… he knew what Bucky’s situation was like and he wouldn’t say it aloud but Bucky was one of his favorite students. 

He still had to show face though. 

Bucky melted into his seat as low as possible until people focused back on the lecture. 

He glanced to his left and found Steve looking at him with pity. It had been Steve’s turn to be late last class… shuffling in with his head ducked down… his boots making squeaking sounds against the tiles and grabbing drastically for his inhaler. 

He helpfully angled his notes so Bucky could get the ones that he missed… smiling when Bucky mouthed thanks. 

Steve sure was something else. Skinny as a bean pole but blanketed in his leather jacket like it was a exotic fur coat…. though the damn thing was less fuzzy to the touch and more covered in metal spikes and safety pins. 

Bucky remembered the first day of class and the stupid ice breaker activity they had to do… Steve had gone first and it was like a zing of energy had shot through him like he had chugged a triple espresso. 

Though he had a tough appearance, multiple piercings on both ears and eyebrows… both arms holding vibrant full sleeves and most of his hair buzzed off in a slicked back Mohawk… his smile was kind and reached his stunning blue eyes… he gestured animatedly with his hands…, talking about how he’s from Brooklyn and his art major background and how he was returning back to school after being in the hospital for a while and so many more things and Bucky may have had a tiny smidge of a crush on him…. Just a smidge.,, a tad…, minuscule really. 

Barely there. 

But the thing is… that small crush only seemed to grow with time… they were on week 6 and frankly Bucky couldn’t take another 10 weeks of sunshine smiles and clever remarks on American Presidents. 

So Bucky had resorted to staring while Steve was paying attention to what Sam wrote on the board… memorizing how the light reflected against the blonde strands that always stood at attention or the peculiar way he would hold his pencils. 

He was screwed. And not in the fun way. 

Because here’s the thing right… Bucky was practically a nobody. 

He joined the Army at 18… he was young and stupid and frankly didn’t have a clue over what he wanted to do with his life so the Army sounded like a great idea, got blown up, lost his arm, realized that he had nothing to tie him down back home and decided to start over after a solid amount of time in therapy. 

So he’s here at 8:30 am lectures… trying to put together some resemblance of normalcy…. (though most people would not call 8:30 lectures normal) and absolutely pining over a guy and trying his best to stay under the crush radar but frankly, Steve deserved better than his best day… 

He didn’t realize until Steve started waving in front of his face that lecture was over and the other students started filing out. 

“You really were distracted today huh?” Steve said playfully. “Sam won’t chew you out too bad for being late y’know.” 

Bucky blinked, making sure he was seeing what he was seeing was real and not a hallucination, “I know.” 

Steve softly smiled, “I’ll wait for you.” 

God, Bucky’s heart squeezed over that. 

It wasn’t fair. 

Time to face the music. 

He slowed headed towards the front, letting those over-eager students ask questions about the test next week and the like. 

Bucky let the door shut behind the last student before he started apologizing yet again for being late. 

Sam however cut him off before he could get a single word out and motioned to sit down in the rolling chair in the front row, “Something happen?” 

Bucky didn’t like this one bit… Sam has that cool energy that his Ma used whenever she wanted to talk about something serious. He shrugged half-heartedly… it was easy to deflect the question. 

Sam pulled out an essay from his bag and flipped it over for Bucky to see. 

It was the extra credit Sam had posted after the first exam to let some students cushion their grade. 

500 words. 7 points. How do you fit into the great American narrative? 

It was supposed to be a really easy essay. Sam taught history like it was all one giant story waiting to be uncovered and everyone played an essential part to that larger story…. to remove one piece would be like taking the crucial structure pieces out in a game of Jenga. To remove the base in a card pyramid meant all the cards were going to fall down. 

The only problem was… Bucky felt like he didn’t fit in. As much as Sam preached about the importance of keeping the narrative, Bucky didn’t feel like a base card. Or a top card… any card…. 

But he needed the points. 

Well not needed needed but it’s always a good thing to have points. 

So he spent hours at the cramped makeshift desk space at the apartment… practically pulling his hair out while trying to make the words make sense. 

It wasn’t his best work… it felt like he was just blabbering and word vomiting but some points were better than nothing. 

There was a _/7 on the top and Sam was looking at him expectedly. “I wanted to talk to you about this…” 

Bucky blankly looked back at him... not really sure what to say. 

Sam sighed and sat down on the edge of the desk. “You’ve lived a very interesting life.” 

“So have you.” Bucky said as politely as possible but still confused, referring to Sam’s own military background and teaching career. 

Sam laughed once, dropping the strict teacher facade, “Listen man, I understand what it’s like to be the oldest in the room amongst a whole bunch of teeny boppers. But you have some life experiences that some of these kids would never even dream of yet… both good and bad. I know this whole going back to school thing is hard but you know my door is always open… literally, I have no door.” 

Bucky smiled at the bad joke. 

“Your essay is………….okay.” Sam started slowly as to not offend, “Structurally, you got it. But the content…” 

Bucky winced internally. 

“You’re more than this.” Sam concluded tapping the desk. “I see the work you put in here and I’m taking an educated guess that you’re the exact same outside these walls too… I know some these memories seems real fresh right now but I don’t believe you’re the solely the character you wrote about in this. This is only one side to you, man and I want you to see yourself in more than one dimension.” 

Bucky took the information in and held it for a second in his mind… not really comprehending it completely but seeing the importance of the words themselves. 

He frowned, grabbing the essay and speed reading it for himself, “This is the truth though. Everything in here is true” 

He had written about what had happened in the Army. Losing his arm. Therapy. The facts. 

“Yes.” Sam agreed, “But it’s not your only truth and it’s not the only side of you...” 

Bucky stared at Sam. He wasn’t sure what Sam was trying to grasp at. This was his truth. Sure it was cut a little close to the bone…. but it was facts… truth. This was how he fit into the card pyramid of the world… A dejected muzzled attack dog pretending to be a human being again…. What more could there be? 

Sam sensed the confusion growing on Bucky’s face and nodded, “Turn this in when you can tell your real Truth. I’ll give you the points for now…. just think about it and turn it in when you can.” 

Bucky nodded solemnly, placing the essay in his bag for later. His brain was already racing a mile a minute trying to deconstruct everything Sam was telling him and compartmentalize it. “Thank You again.” 

Sam smiled, “I expect good things out of you Barnes. And you better come to class on time next week… since we have that test and all.” 

Bucky nodded and waved, letting himself out of the classroom, his mind still running over what Sam said. What did he mean by only truth? It must have been based on some weird history thing that Sam philosophized about… The One Truth to Rule them All… nope that was Lord of the Rings… 

He was so stuck in his mind that he didn’t properly realize what he was seeing until he had double take…. 

It was Steve. 

When was it not Steve that grabbed Bucky’s attention. 

But it was Steve holding and cooing over…… a baby? 

It looked like a baby. Sounded like a baby. 

Steve was laughing, his eyes crinkled and his grin stretching from ear to ear, at this little baby in his lap who was trying to suck on the sharp metal spikes on his jacket. “Now you stop that Bee. You know you’re not supposed to put those in your mouth.” 

God. 

Where did Steve even get this baby from??? 

Did Fate just want to screw with him in particular today?????? First the flowers and now Steve with a baby. Steve. With a Baby. Like a Small Child. Bucky had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t still dreaming… 

It was still early. You never knew. 

The only real reason that Bucky knew it wasn’t a dream was because his dreams could never be this good. 

God. 

“S-Steve?” 

Steve subconsciously pulled the baby closer to him and then relaxed when he saw it was Bucky. “Oh hey. how’d it go?”

Totally relaxed like it wasn’t crazy that he now had a tiny baby in his arms in the short time Bucky had been in the meeting with Sam. 

Bucky just licked his lips and tilted his head in confusion, not really comprehending the whole baby situation. 

Steve realized that Bucky was rendered speechless and staring at the baby in his lap, “Oh, this is my daughter, Sarah.” 

Bucky was pretty sure his brain frizzed out but he wasn’t sure where exactly. Maybe it was the ‘my’.... maybe it was the ‘daughter’.... maybe it was the implication that Steve had potentially had sex with a woman that created this baby… maybe it was the fact that Steve might not be single…. a lot of maybes… no answers. Hence burnt out brain. This was the third time this had happened today and frankly that was way too many times for someone with memory problems. 

So he did the polite thing and stuck out his metal hand for her to grab onto, “Hello sweetheart, I’m Bucky.” 

She giggled around a spit bubble and squirmed in Steve’s lap to reach him. 

She was adorable. They were adorable. God Bucky was fucked. Totally screwed. Second base as the kids might say… or was it third… baseball analogies are weird. 

“How was it?” Steve prompted, shifting Sarah over so she sat comfortably on his hip and within reach of Bucky. 

God. He wasn’t going to survive. 

“He wanted me to rewrite my extra credit.” Bucky said as conherently as he possibly could while his brain was mad fried. “Something about finding my truth.” 

Steve nodded, “Sam’s like that. He made me do the same thing with my extra credit last year… something about seeing beyond the obvious… I’m not really sure if I got it but he gave me the points…. At least you have time to turn it in right?”

Bucky was distracted by Sarah instead of listening to what Steve was saying… which Bucky thought was an amazing feat in and of itself… nothing distracted him from his close proximity to Steve… nothing but his daughter Sarah apparently. She was adorable. General baby cuteness was a given but she had brown curly hair that was very similar to Bucky’s but Steve’s blue eyes… though they were huge and staring closely at him. It was almost like she was a hybrid baby between the two of them… the plot of some weird science fiction story.“I- uh-“ 

She then suddenly grabbed a strand of Bucky’s hair that fell out of his soft bun and pulled a little to get him to focus. 

“Owowowowow.”  
“OH SH-I’m so sorry! She’s in her grabbing phase.” Steve tried to mediate with little success and prying her tight grip off of Bucky’s hair. 

“Oh, my darling have you been a good girl for your Daddy.” 

The woman was stunning. Drop Dead gorgeous. Step on me please levels of beautiful. With perfectly curled brown hair and red lipstick smirk and a Fricking Pant Suit. 

And she was addressing them, her eyes sparkling in mirth. 

And When Sarah let go of his hair and reached out for the woman to carry her… Bucky felt his heart twinge in his chest. 

She cooed after Sarah, rubbing their noses together and it was clear that she was Sarah’s mother…. “Do you make a new friend, my darling?” 

Steve had that smirk on his face that only appears when he knew the answer in class or was about to trash on someone’s incorrect answer. He nodded as if he was distracted a bit and Bucky couldn’t blame him too much. She was a gorgeous woman who desired the utmost respect that was in Steve’s gaze. 

But to Bucky’s eyes… he could see the love for her written plainly on Steve’s face. He was glowing around the edges and his eyes had a certain shine to them. 

It felt like Bucky had swallowed an apple whole. 

This one was going to sting for a hot minute and he tried not to let is consume him all at once. 

“Because Steve is an utterly Barbaric American who has no preservation of chivalry and manners, whatsoever…. I presume I must introduce myself” the woman held out her perfectly manicured hand, “My name is Peggy Carter, Charmed.” 

“Bucky.” He held out his hand but it was like a robot was moving it for him. And maybe it was because it was his metal hand… 

Of course a guy like Steve managed to land a babe like Peggy. With her perfect British accent and her soft hands and her… everything. Bucky was an idiot for even thinking he could hold a candle against her. 

“Hey, ummm… Steve. Thanks for waiting up but I got to go…” he mumbled, voice rough around emotions he didn’t want to name just yet and caught in his throat. “Paper to write and all….” 

More like to slink off and lick his wounds but writing a paper seemed more appropriate and less soul crushing answer. How much B&J was in the freezer again? 

He waved to Peggy and Sarah and proceeded to march down the hallway. 

“Buck. Wait up!” 

Bucky felt his entire insides melt a little… stopping him from continuing.

Buck was a new one. 

Steve had never called him that before… he had called him James once before (it was awkward for both of them and they swore to never do it again)... Mr. Barnes when Steve was being his cordial self but utterly disagreed with his opinion… and Bucky when it was the two of them, Steve’s eyes teasing as he handed him a worksheet or nudged his foot to get out of his space… but Buck was a new one and Bucky kind of liked the way it sounded out of Steve’s mouth. 

A nickname for his nickname that was all Steve’s. 

but then Bucky remembered the gorgeous Peggy and the adorable Sarah and his insides twisted. 

“I was just wondering if everything was okay this morning.., I forgot to ask.” Steve said sheepishly, his slight blush making his freckles on the bridge of his nose stand out. 

It pained Bucky to think that he could never pay homage to those freckles ever again. 

“Um. Yeah. Yeah. No problems.” Bucky said brushing Steve’s focus off as quickly as possible to prevent himself from saying something stupid. “Just something unexpected happened but I left Clint to deal.” 

Steve nodded, “Well, I hope it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience…” 

Bucky laughed a little, “It did get me late so…” He shifted his weight… wincing at how awkward this conversation was going. 

Steve just stared at him for a moment, trying to gauge his emotions. “You have something-“

And Bucky was aware of the hands slowly getting into his personal bubble and managed to tap down his knee gut reaction to duck away. 

Not a threat.  
Just Steve. 

Steve delicately showed him the flower petal… a peach colored rose petal… twirling it softly between his fingers. 

“Sarah was probably-“  
“Probably from the flowers-“ 

God, Bucky’s face felt like it was physically on fire and he was minutes away from melting on the spot. Steve being that close in his personal space had lit up every nerve within him rather than the usual jerk of anxiety screaming at him to get away. Plus he could smell the cologne Steve sprayed on his wrist… something guy scented… cotton or beachwood? 

It smelt good. Like real good. Roll around in it like a kitten in fresh laundered sheets good. 

This is torture. Torture thy name is Steve. 

“Flowers?” Steve asked inquisitively, rocking back and forth on his heels a little. 

“Yeahhhhhhh. Yeah.” Bucky said trying to covertly wipe the sweat off his face by pushing back his hair, “Someone sent me a whole bunch of flowers.” 

“A. whole. bunch.” He said pointedly. 

Steve laughed. 

“We’re talking Gatsby levels.” Bucky said clearly remember the slight ache in arms from carrying them up. “Flowers. Everywhere.”

Steve shyly hid his arms behind his back, rubbing the one that still held the rose petal lightly, “Well, maybe Whoever sent them…. really cares about you?” 

“Ha!” Bucky laughed bitterly once. “As if.” 

Steve looked hurt, “What do you mean?” 

“People care about me sure…” Bucky said dragging out the sure, holding the back of his neck, “But not like this.” 

“Well. Maybe Someone does.” Steve replies fiercely which stunned Bucky… not really knowing what he said wrong.

“Well. Maybe they should have written their name on the card.” Bucky replied just as fiercely, raising his voice slightly. “then I WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHO THEY WERE.” 

“WELL. MAYBE THEY WERE NERVOUS AND COULDN’T BUILD UP THE COURAGE TO DO SO.” 

“BUT THEY HAD THE COURAGE TO SEND ME A CRAPTON OF FLOWERS???” Bucky yelled back confusingly about the argument that had come out of nowhere. 

Steve huffed out a breath and crossed his arms. “Look-“ 

“I gotta go Steve.” Bucky said, frustrated for no reason and starting to feel silly for a fight that had no real meaning.

“Wait.” Steve slightly pulled on the leather strap on his bag. 

“Iwastheonewhosentyoutheflowers” 

Bucky blinked, “.... what?” 

“The flowers.” Steve said, blushing so hard that his face was bright red, “I sent them.” 

“This is a joke,” Bucky said… not really processing the words correctly. “You’re messing with me.” 

“No.” Steve pulled the bag slight so Bucky could turn to face him, “It’s not.”

“I’m not-“ 

“I sent you the flowers.” His eyes. Those damn blue eyes of his were honest and Bucky knew he was telling the truth. 

Bucky’s brain, however, was now permanently broken. Too many surprises in one day would do that to you. 

Steve continued, his voice soft, “Well, Nat is technically footing the bill so she bought the flowers but I picked them out? I just thought you’d deserve some flowers and she owed me and I might have gotten carried away but I really just wanted to show you-“

“Show me what?” Bucky said softly, his brain finally connecting the dots but still not believing what he was hearing. 

Steve tugged in his piercings, “how much I-“ 

He looked away embarrassed and Bucky was literally holding his breath in anticipation. 

“I care about you.” Steve said resoundly, holding his gaze. “I really like you Buck.” 

Bucky blinked at him. No fucking way this was reality. No way. Absolutely not. These types of things didn’t happen to guys like him. This has to be a dream. 

Steve flinched at the awkward pause and Bucky’s lack of response, “But obviously…... I overstepped and I’m sorry… I’ll. I’ll be going now. Good luck on the test.” 

And that wouldn’t do. Bucky, you big lug, you don’t let your crush confess and then walk away. 

“....... I’m kinda in lo- . ……….I like you too.” 

Steve stared at him… his blue eyes wider than ever and Bucky had a feeling that he looked the same. 

“You….?” 

“Yeah.” Bucky nodded, looking down at his boots to avoid staring at the intensity coming off of Steve. 

“Yeah?” Steve said hopefully, coming closer into Bucky’s space and gingerly touching both of his hands. 

Bucky squeezed his hands and closed his eyes just to be in the moment with Steve…. to memorize all of it so he could hold it for the rest of his life. “From the first day of class.” 

“I saw you moving boxes into your apartment.” Steve whispered, “When I took Sarah for a walk.” 

Bucky winced a bit at the reminder… just because they had mutually confessed (OMFG STEVE LIKES HIM BACK) doesn’t mean that whole situation didn’t change. 

There was still Peggy and Sarah. 

And Bucky is not that kind of man… no matter how cute Steve is. 

It was like Steve senses Bucky’s hesitation so he continues. “Peggy and I aren’t together. She kept me company in the hospital and I kinda promised her that I’d be her child’s father…. It’s a long story… and she’s very persuasive…” 

“I can see why she’d want you.” Bucky mumbled, visibly relaxing at the news, “I’d want you to be the father of my kids too.” 

Steve’s eyes snapped open and his mouth dropped open at the unexpected confession.

Bucky realized what he said and proceeded to hide his burning face within Steve’s neck, weary of the spikes, “I-“ 

Steve’s face was smug and he adopted his pseudo-Victorian lady tilt to his normal voice, “Why, Mr. Barnes, It is rather presumptuous to think of the babies…. I’d expect for you to make me an honest man first… maybe a date… a soirée as the kids say” 

“8 o’clock?” 

“Wut?” Steve’s shocked face was adorable. 

“A date.” Bucky said shyly, pulling back from Steve’s jacket the corners of his mouth twitching upwards, “8?” 

“We need to talk about your delivery skills…” 

“Says the man who sent me an entire flower shop.” 

“I thought it would be romantic.”

“It was.” Bucky agreed, his blush still tinting his cheeks, “Never got flowers before… It was….. nice” 

He smiled…. It was one of those rare soft smiles where the corners stretched out and you could feel the warmth reach his eyes. 

Steve smiled back, crinkles by the corners of his eyes, “Can I kiss you now?” 

Bucky should permanently change his name to Blushy based on how much Steve was inclined to make him blush. 

He nodded, unable to vocalize how much he wanted to kiss Steve. 

Steve traced his bottom lip with his thumb… it was strangely intimate and made Bucky chase his thumb with the tip of his tongue. He then used that same thumb to guide Bucky’s chin down… and Bucky let him lead. 

Steve hmmm’d then smile at Bucky’s adorable nature and leaned forward, careful to not let the metal spikes dig into Bucky. 

The kiss was soft and sweet. 

Bucky could taste the leftover remains iced coffee Steve had during class and he subconsciously curled his left hand around the base of Steve’s shaved head to hold him there while his right hand sneaked it’s way across Steve’s tiny waist. 

Maybe it lasted for a second or maybe it lasted for eons… but this one kiss made Bucky want to be held by Steve for all of his lifetimes and he felt it echo in his soul just how perfect it was. 

Steve pulled back and his pupils were shot… black completely consuming the blue… he leaned his head further into Bucky’s hand like an eager cat. 

Bucky started to say something but then he heard classroom doors opening as students were released from other classes. 

They then remembered that they were on campus… and not floating off somewhere. 

Bucky kissed the Steve’s palm and released him, “8.” 

“8.” 

Bucky started to pull away and follow the crowd of students and waving bye to him. 

“What should I wear?” Steve called out after him. 

“You’d look beautiful in anything!” 

That earned a few snickers and Steve blushed. That damn man would be the death of him. 

⭐️

One morning that felt like a lifetime ago but was in reality the summer before fall semester… 

“We’re gonna be good for Auntie Nat, right Bee?” Steve asked his daughter cheerfully, laying her into her stroller. 

He loved his daughter fiercely with her little hands clenching at her blanket and her eyes wide with mischief. 

They were headed towards Nat’s new apartment building to fulfill what she had designated as Necessary Baby Time. 

He had been friends with Natasha since spring semester… they had a monster of a group project but had stayed in contact. Nat showing him pictures of her adorable black kitty and Steve sending her updates on Sarah. 

Today they had planned to walk around and maybe find a restaurant for brunch. 

Steve hummed a little as he walked… internally snickering at the old ladies double taking at the picture they made… Steve covered in tattoos and spiked hair and non-dangling piercings in … though he wasn’t wearing his normal amount of spikes and earrings due to Sarah… pushing a pastel teal colored stroller. 

He had gotten used to the stares… he knew what he looked like and most people did find it odd that someone with his “bad reputation” and “neglectful youth” would ever be a good father. But he was. And Sarah was adorable. So suck it. 

When he had gotten out of the hospital, he needed to feel like his body was his again and not some experimental pun cushion with a thousand wires coming out of him… and what better way to do that then by inking his skin. Only he was kind of addicted to the buzz of the needle and kept going back for more. 

He turned the final corner and halted at the sight before him. 

It was a man. 

But Steve was pretty sure that he might have been a god…  
His white shirt clung to his back muscles as he bent over to lift boxes from a moving truck. 

As he turned to go into the very same apartment Steve was currently heading towards, he saw the man’s breathtaking profile… firm jawline… sculpted nose… deep-set eyes… and a pair of dog tags swinging from his neck. 

“You’re drooling.” 

Steve jumped at the sound, grateful that he had subconsciously locked Sarah’s stroller “Was not.” 

Nat just gave him a look and motioned to his chin. She knelt down to say hi to Sarah… cooing at how adorable she looked in her little dress and pants combo. 

Steve wiped it away inconspicuously but Nat just smirked. 

“Pay for breakfast and I’ll tell you everything I know” She looped her arm around his and pulled him along in the opposite direction

“I was going to pay anyway.” Steve said, slightly pouting. 

Nat hmmd. “Let me take Sarah with me on Friday and I’ll tell you his apartment number” 

“How do you know his apartment number???” Steve asked concerned. 

“You remember Clint… that’s his new roommate.” 

“Ohhhhhh…. Clint Clint~” Steve sang suggestively. “I see we’re on a first name basis now.” 

She hip checked him and blushed slightly. 

“It’s okay to have a crush Nat.” 

“I know. That’s why I need Sarah.” She said firmly, “Sarah is an adorable baby and guys go weak for babies…. Clint like babies. It’s foolproof.” 

“You’re not taking my daughter to pick up Clint… besides Peggy is picking her up Friday morning.” 

“Boo.” 

Steve rolled his eyes, “Okay fine…. I’ll hand my daughter over Thursday night but you have to fund any romantic gesture I do to get that guy’s number.” 

“James.” 

“Mmm James is kinda hot.” 

Nat crinkled up her nose at the implication, “Never again please.” 

“James is way hotter than Clint… what type of name is Clint?” 

“Definitely better than Bucky that’s for sure.” Nat responded with an all-knowing smirk of hers. 

“Wait, what does that mean…. Nat? Natasha. Who’s Bucky??” 

“C’mon. I want a quiche.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written anything because of school and depression so thanks for sticking around!  
> I definitely have a bias for pre-serum Steve... so I definitely plan on finishing my other fic (after I reread it because Yeah it’s been a while)


End file.
